Laptops

Many of us have replaced our desktop systems with a laptop, as they are affordable, portable, and just as powerful as a traditional desktop PC. Laptops have screen sizes ranging from 9-inches to 17-inches, measured horizontally. Laptops with screens smaller than 11-inches are called netbooks while full-screened laptops are called notebooks. Some laptop models include built-in hardware to connect to wirelessly to a 3G or 4G networks and often require a data contract with a mobile phone carrier. Many laptops include built-in Wi-Fi modems and software to make portable computing easy. Some of the most recognized names for laptops are Apple, Dell, Sony and Acer. Kelkoo has all of these brands and more. You can be assured that you’ll find the best laptops at the absolutely lowest price from online retailers you know and trust. ... View more - View less

Buying guide - Laptops

Portability

When you're buying a laptop it's extremely important to think about what you want to use it for. Once you've done that you can balance price, weight, size and battery life to get a computer that exactly suits your needs

If you're looking for a cheap laptop that you can take with you everywhere you go, and you're not going to use it for tasks beyond word processing and browsing the internet, you should look for a netbook. With prices typically under £300 and a battery life of around five hours or more, they can be used for a typical day's work without having to go near a power socket. However, they use fairly slow processors and have relatively cramped 10.1in screens.

If you want performance and portability, look for an ultra-portable. Unlike netbooks, they have fast processors and larger screens (11.1 to 14 inches). Price is generally inverse to weight: the lighter the laptop you want, the more money you'll pay for it. Prices range from around £450 to £2,000 (although you can get great laptop deals at the moment) and, as with netbooks, you can expect a battery life of five hours or more.

Powerhouses

If portability isn't an issue and you want power, look for a desktop replacement. Screen sizes tend to be 17in or greater, pushing the weight up to 2.7kg or more. With a typical battery life of less than three hours, these are really designed to be used on a desk and folded away neatly when not being used. The benefit is that you get a large screen with a high resolution (1,600x900 and higher), bigger hard drives and a full-sized keyboard that's simple to type on. Right at the top of the performance ladder sit the gaming laptops, with dedicated 3D graphics and specs that can handle anything you want to do, including intensive video editing

This is why it's important to know what you want to do on your laptop. There's no point spending over £800 if you're going to be using it for pretty basic tasks. If you want a good all-round laptop that can handle internet and office tasks, as well as light photo and video editing, you should look at the budget end of the market. Typically, you'll find that these cheap laptops (around £400-£500) come with a screen size of 15in.

Specifications

Screen sizeThe bigger the screen the higher the resolution, and the more information you can fit on it. A netbook resolution of 1024 x 600 can feel a bit cramped; ultra-portables and budget laptops tend to have a resolution of 1366 x 768, which is good for HD video; desktop replacement laptops have resolutions of 1600 x 900 or even 1920 x 1080

WeightScreen size tends to affect weight, with larger screens weighing more. Around 2kg is okay but look for 1.5kg or less if you want to carry your laptop around all day.

BatteryThe size of the battery helps define how long your laptop will last away from the power. A couple of hours for a desktop replacement is fine; four hours for a budget or regular laptop is good; and netbooks and ultra-portables should last for five hours or more.

MemoryThe more memory you have, the smoother your computer will run. 2GB of RAM is the minimum to accept, although 4GB is better. For 4GB or more of memory, you need to have the 64-bit version of Windows 7. Netbooks usually come with 1GB of RAM, which is fine, although most can be upgraded to 2GB.

What's inside

ProcessorThe 'brains' of your computer. A dual-core model is best, as it means that your computer actually has two processors. The Intel Core i3, i5 or i7 are currently the best choices.

Hard driveThis defines how many files you can store on your laptop. A minimum of 160GB is recommended, but realistically you should look for 250GB or higher.

Dedicated graphicsIf you just want to watch movies and browse the internet, you don't need to invest in a dedicated graphics chip. If you want to play the latest games you need extra help, look for an AMD Radeon 5000-series or Nvidia 400M series chip.

Optical driveIf you want to watch films or record discs on the move, you need an optical drive. A DVD drive will let you read and write DVDs and CDs; a Blu-ray reader lets you read Blu-ray discs and write DVDs and CDs; a Blu-ray writer lets you read and write Blu-ray discs, DVDs, and CDs.

Memory card readerGetting photos or video from a digital camera to a laptop is much easier if you've got a built-in memory card reader. Check your camera for the card format.

Accessories

Keyboards and miceA laptop can be uncomfortable to use for long periods of time, so look to buy a regular keyboard and mouse for when you're at a desk. Modern optical mice don't have a roller-ball, but you do need a flat non-reflective surface for them to work on.

MonitorA regular desktop monitor can make your laptop easier to use when you're at a desk. To use a monitor you need a laptop with a video output. All monitors support VGA outputs, but you'll get better quality using HDMI or DVI.

CasesCarrying your laptop around all day exposes it to damage, so look for a laptop bag with a padded pouch to protect it if you drop it. With some laptop deals you might even get a case thrown in as part of a bundle.

TV tunersA laptop with Windows 7 can be turned into a complete entertainment centre with a TV tuner, enabling you to record, pause and watch live television.

3G dongleIf you need the internet on your laptop wherever you are, a 3G dongle and package gives you mobile broadband that uses the mobile phone network.